Cuban man who sewed mouth shut collapses

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Thursday, 09.23.10
Cuban man who sewed mouth shut collapses
By ANDREA RODRIGUEZ
Associated Press Writer

GUANABACOA, Cuba -- A Cuban man who sewed his mouth shut after launching a hunger strike to protest confiscation of electronic devices by customs officials has collapsed and been sent to a hospital, his son said Thursday.

Vladimir Alejo Miranda fainted on Wednesday at his home in Guanabacoa, just outside Havana, Leordan Alejo told The Associated Press. He said his father began the strike two months ago, sewed his mouth shut on Sept. 7 and stopped drinking water and tea earlier this week. Vladimir Alejo's wife also sewed her mouth shut in solidarity, according to the son.

The elder Alejo was being treated at the nearby Miguel Enriquez hospital, which journalists are not allowed to enter. Leordan Alejo, 27, said had no word on his father's condition.

Alejo's relatives have been contacting foreign media based in Havana for weeks, accusing some journalists of being part of Cuban state security for not covering the developments.

The relatives first said the strike was over an airport customs seizure of a DVD player, a camera and flash memory stick sent by a friend from the United States. Since then, they have said the protest has expanded to include a call for the release of political prisoners and other issues.

More:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/09/23/1838694/cuban-man-who-sewed-mouth-shut.html

http://3.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_1QfuM0R-rVE/TFhLwlP20MI/AAAAAAAAXvU/DAbO0xX2nPw/s400/Vladimir+Alejo+Miranda.jpg

Vladimir Alejo Miranda

[naaman fletcher]

1. Electronic Devices?

"The relatives first said the strike was over an airport customs seizure of a DVD player, a camera and flash memory stick sent by a friend from the United States."

Is it true? You can't bring in a DVD player? We have been informed here that Cuba is a democracy. I guess that means the people are for this?

[Billy Burnett]

2. Traveled much?

Try sneaking undeclared goods upon your return to the USA.

As to sending gifts, every country has different rules over the allowable types and value of goods when shipping them in from abroad. I had to deal with this bureaucracy after my parents died in Canada and I wanted to ship some things from there to Miami. I did have to pay a tax on certain items (like cameras, laptop, etc).

Sounds like the man in the OP is a tea party nutter.

[naaman fletcher]

3. yes, actually,

I spend half my time overseas. Just got back from a months trip. This is not about undeclared goods. This is about a totalitarian state controlling information. You can buy a DVD player anywhere and bring it into the US. You can do that in most countries.

If you travelled much you would know that "declaring goods" mostly has to do with commercial items.

[Billy Burnett]

5. As long as you pay the duty tax, yes. Undeclared? No.

www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&q=jeb+bush+wife+customs&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=8d9c50a61d5b9175

[Judi Lynn]

4. We learned the guy who went on the hunger strike in recent memory had also gone

on ELEVEN previous hunger strikes, and people were more or less used to it with him, although the last hunger strike got good play in the corporate media and was well worth his effort.

Lucky for him he found a way to ease himself out of it without loosing face, or succumbing to his self-inflicted condition.

You have to wonder, since Congressional loons are publicly (whereas it used to be covert) funding dissent now in Cuba, how many others like this will jump on the bandwagon to score a little "walking around money" themselves.